Aging cheese after smoking

[BB-que]

Just looking to confirm that after I smoked my cheese blocks that I can vac seal and put in the fridge to rest. I read something, not on this site, that said cheese needs to breathe and vac sealing can suffocate hurting the flavor as well as promote mold growth. I’ve seen nothing of that mentioned here, seems everybody vac seals after smoking with no issues.

 

[Yazoomark]

I vac seal immediately. Works great. No mold growth.

 

[73saint]

I usually wrap mine in Saran for 24 hrs in the fridge, then vacuum seal. No mold issues ever.

 

[pineywoods]

It depends on the cheese and the humidity when you smoke. Sometimes when I smoke cheese and the humidity is high or it's hot and I have to put a sprinkler on the roof of the smokehouse the cheese will come out of the smokehouse damp to almost wet at times. I've learned to bring it in the house and let it sit and dry before I do anything with it. Once dry we vacuum seal and into the fridge. I also find some types of cheeses will come out of the smokehouse damp or not completely dry again I leave those out till dry then seal. The individually wrapped mozzarella sticks are one that seems to come out damp most every time the wife loves them smoked and we take the time to unwrap every one of them and smoke them but have to leave them to dry almost every time before sealing.
And if not dry when you vacuum seal it will promote mold growth

 

[crazymoon]

BBQ, I allow the cheese to sit on a wire rack for about 4 hours in a cool enviroment(my cellar). I then vac seal and have had no issues,some of my smoked cheese is over 4 years old and quite tasty when opened up.

 

[GATOR240]

I normally let my cheese sit in the fridge overnight uncovered and then vac seal the next morning. No mold issues at all.

 

[SmokinAl]

I do the same as most, I let it dry on a rack in the fridge overnight, then vac seal the next day.
Never had any mold issues.
Al

 

[DoubleTSmoker]

After smoking I like to sit on the counter for an hour to rest, than place in the fridge overnight and vacuum seal the next day.

 

[ksblazer]

After smoking I like to sit on the counter for an hour to rest, than place in the fridge overnight and vacuum seal the next day.

This is what I do as well. No mold issues so far.

 

[TomKnollRFV]

Not sure where you read smoking and vac sealing will promote mold growth..

But cheese, once smoked, and vaccum sealed, can last <according to a cheese maker I spoke with here in WI> indefinitely if the temperature is kept properly. If properly vac sealed, there isn't any air in the inside, thus no mold can grow. Cheese sealed in wax etc when fresh is the same way.

That said, I don't know what the flavours would be like after a few years, but there you have it.

 

[bbqbrett]

It depends on the cheese and the humidity when you smoke. Sometimes when I smoke cheese and the humidity is high or it's hot and I have to put a sprinkler on the roof of the smokehouse the cheese will come out of the smokehouse damp to almost wet at times. I've learned to bring it in the house and let it sit and dry before I do anything with it. Once dry we vacuum seal and into the fridge. I also find some types of cheeses will come out of the smokehouse damp or not completely dry again I leave those out till dry then seal. The individually wrapped mozzarella sticks are one that seems to come out damp most every time the wife loves them smoked and we take the time to unwrap every one of them and smoke them but have to leave them to dry almost every time before sealing.
And if not dry when you vacuum seal it will promote mold growth

That is good to know. I had a few mold when I did mine last year but most of it was just fine. Maybe just didn't get it all the way dry because I couldn't find any holes or breaks in the vac seal bags.

 

[fullborebbq]

Ware clean gloves when handling cheeses. The slightest contamination escalates when vacuum sealed. As much as you might think vacuum sealing prevents growth of all contaminants, that is not the case. Some contaminants ONLY grow in oxygen deficient atmospheres. Botulism is one of them.

I actually had finger prints show up on Finlandia Swiss. Mind you it was vacuum packed for close to a year. The only time i did not use gloves when putting them into Vac bags.

 

[bill ace 350]

after smoking, I put mine in the fridge overnight, uncovered.

Vac seal the next day.
I've had cheese last 3+ years vacuum sealed in the fridge

 

[PolarSuns]

You guys all saying to leave the cheese in the fridge overnight-- when you do that, the cheese doesn't get too dried out and cracked on the surface?

 

[73saint]

I put mine in cellophane in the fridge.

 

[Lonzinomaker]

The last batch of cheeses I smoked haven't gotten any mold yet.
I rinsed them in a bowl filled with a mixture of brandy and salt. Let them drip dry before vacuum sealing.
The sharp cheddar tastes really good.

 

[2008RN]

You guys all saying to leave the cheese in the fridge overnight-- when you do that, the cheese doesn't get too dried out and cracked on the surface?

I am new to the cold smoking cheese. I have done 4 batches this year. Next Friday is my last until next fall. Since I am still in the learning mode, I am varying parameters a little. The second batch I did set out for about 6 hours and then I put it in the fridge. I got busy the next day and did not have time to vacuum seal. I got to the cheese about 36 hours after it had been open in the fridge (note the fridge is in the the garage and this was the only thing in the fridge.) After 36 hours and the 6 hours at room temp, the cheese started to crack. I vacuum sealed and 3 weeks later started to eat the cheese. The crack lines had disappeared. I longest I have had cheese vacuumed seal in the fridge so far has been 4 months.

 

[PolarSuns]

I am new to the cold smoking cheese. I have done 4 batches this year. Next Friday is my last until next fall. Since I am still in the learning mode, I am varying parameters a little. The second batch I did set out for about 6 hours and then I put it in the fridge. I got busy the next day and did not have time to vacuum seal. I got to the cheese about 36 hours after it had been open in the fridge (note the fridge is in the the garage and this was the only thing in the fridge.) After 36 hours and the 6 hours at room temp, the cheese started to crack. I vacuum sealed and 3 weeks later started to eat the cheese. The crack lines had disappeared. I longest I have had cheese vacuumed seal in the fridge so far has been 4 months.

Thanks for the info on your experience!